Elevator drives



United States Patent 3,215,227 ELEVATOR DRIVES Chester M. MacChesney,Chicago, Ill., assignor of eightyfive percent to Ellamac Incorporated,Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois, and fifteen percent to Clarence S. Henderson,Miami Beach, Fla.

Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,395 9 Claims. (Cl. 187-24) The presentinvention relates to elevator drives, and more particularly to suchdrives that may be readily installed in an elevator shaft as a buildingis being constructed and that may be readily adapted to progressivelygreater heights of the elevator shaft as the construction of thebuilding progresses.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedand simplified elevator drive of the character noted.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elevator that hasparticular utility in constructing a building and that may be operatedeither upon a motor basis or upon a manual basis.

Another object of the invention is to provide an elevator drive for anelevator car arranged in an upstanding elevator shaft provided by abuilding structure, wherein the drive essentially comprises a columncarried by the structure adjacent to the shaft and constituting ahalfnut, an upstanding member carried by the car and constituting a wormor pinion cooperating with the half-nut, an upstanding element carriedby the car and cooperating with the worm, a group of contiguous ballscarried by the worm and confined in position both by the half-nut and bythe element, whereby at least a part of the weight of the car issupported by the column through a cooperating subgroup of the group ofballs, and facility for selectively rotating the worm in eitherdirection so as to cause corresponding upward and downward movements ofthe car in the shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide an elevator drive of thecharacter described that further comprises an improved bearingarrangement between the car and the worm so as to facilitate both theready rotation of the worm and the transfer of at least a part of theweight of the car to the worm and thus to the column without impairingthe ease of rotation of the worm.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangementof the elements of the elevator drive, whereby the above-outlined andadditional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best beunderstood by reference to the following specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic fragmentary vertical sectional view ofbuilding structure defining an elevator shaft and carrying an elevatorcar and provided with an elevator drive embodying the present invention,this figure presenting a side view of the elevator car;

FIG. 2 is another view of the elements, as shown in FIG. 1, this figurepresenting a front view of the elevator car;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged further view of the elements, as shown in FIGS. 1and 2, this figure presenting a plan view of the elevator car;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary plan view of the elevator driveincorporated in the elements, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive;

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of theelevator drive, this view being taken in the direction of the arrowsalong the line 55 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a further enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view ofthe elevator drive, this view being taken in the direction of the arrowsalong the line 66 in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, there isillustrated building structure 10 defining an elongated upstandingelevator shaft 11 containing an elevator car 20 and provided with adrive, indicated at 50, and embodying the features of the presentinvention. As illustrated, the structure 10 comprises upstanding rearwall structure 12 disposed at the rear of the elevator shaft 11, sidewall structure 13 disposed at the opposite sides of the elevator shaft11, and a plurality of substantially horizontal fioor structures 14arranged in vertically spaced-apart relation. Also, it may be assumedthat the building comprising the structure 10 is undergoingconstruction, and that the front of the elevator shaft 11 is open ateach floor structure 14 to accommodate ready access to the elevatorshaft 11. Further, the structure 10 comprises a pair of elongatedupstanding guideways 15 and a pair of elongated upstanding weight guides16 both respectively disposed at the opposite sides of the elevatorshaft 11 and both respectively rigidly secured to the adjacent side wallstructures 13, the weight guides 16 being positioned forwardly of theadjacent guideways 15 in the elevator shaft 11.

The elevator car 20 is of substantially box-like construction, includinga floor 21, a roof 22, a rear wall 23 and a pair of opposed side walls24 and having an open front, whereby a compartment 25 is defined thereinthat may be employed both for the purpose of lifting the constructionworkers and light materials of construction employed in fabricating theadditional components of the structure 10 as the construction of thebuilding progresses. The rear wall 23 of the elevator car 20 issuit-ably spaced forwardly of the adjacent rear wall structure 12; theside walls 24 of the elevator car 20 are suitably spaced inwardly of therespective adjacent side wall structures 13; and the open front of theelevator car 20 is spaced only somewhat rearwardly of the adjacent edgesof the floor structures 14, so as to facilitate ready loading andunloading of the compartment 25 of the elevator car 20. Each side wall24 of the elevator car 20 rigidly carries upper and lower guides 26 and27 that commonly cooperate with the adjacent one of the guideways 15,thereby to insure guided vertical movements of the elevator car 20 inthe elevator shaft 11 for the usual purpose.

Preferably, a major fraction of the weight of the elevator car 20 iscounterbalanced by a conventional arrangement including a pair ofweights 28 respectively mounted in the weight guides 16. Specifically, atransversely extending beam 29 is rigidly secured to the roof 22 of theelevator car 20; and the opposite ends of the beam 29 are respectivelyconnected by a pair of flexible cables 30 to the weight 28, theintermediate portions of the cables being trained over a pair of guidepulleys 31 respectively carried by the side wall structures 13 andcommonly positioned well above the roof 22 of the elevator car 20. Ofcourse each guide pulley 31 is mounted for rotation upon the adjacentside wall structure 13, and each cable 31 includes an uprunning sectionextending from the adjacent end of the beam 29 and a downrunning sectionextending to the adjacent weight 28. The mode of operation of thisconventional counterbalancing arrangement is well understood and is thusnot further described in the interest of brevity.

The elevator drive 50 comprises an elongated upstanding column 51rigidly secured to the central portion of the rear Wall structure 12 andarranged in the elevator shaft 11 rearwardly of the adjacent rear Wall23 of the elevator car 20; which column 51 includes a plurality ofindividual sections arranged in an upstanding aligned row, as indicatedin FIG. 5, and independently rigidly secured to the adjacent rear wallstructure 12 in any suitable manner, not shown. As best shown in FIGS. 4and 5 the column 51 comprises a relatively thick central body 52projecting forwardly from the rear wall structure 12 into the centralrear portion of the elevator shaft 11; which body 52 has an elongatedupstanding substantially semi-cylindrical recess 53 therein disposed infacing relation with the elevator shaft 11. A plurality of gear teeth 54are carried by the body 52 within the recess 53; which gear teeth 54 aredisposed in an elongated upstanding outer helical path and spaced-apartin the vertical direction by a substantially constant given pitch. Ofcourse, corresponding slots 55 are disposed between the gear teeth 54,whereby the body 52 constitutes a half-nut or split-nut. The teeth 54and the slots 55 have peculiar profiles due to the use that is madethereof, as explained more fully below, whereby each slot 55 ispartially cylindrical in radial section, as clearly shown in FIG. 5.

An upper bracket 61 is rigidly secured to the rear central portion ofthe roof 22 of the elevator car and an adjacent lower bracket 62 isrigidly secured to the upper central portion of the rear wall 23 of theelevator car 20; which brackets 61 and 62 are unified into one compositestructure by an upstanding element 63 extending therebetween, the top ofthe element 63 being rigidly secured to the upper bracket 61, as bywelding as indicated at 64, and the bottom of the element 63 is rigidlysecured to the lower bracket 62, as by welding as indicated at 65; allas clearly shown in FIG. 5. The upper bracket 61 includes a rearwardlyextending upper arm 66 projecting toward the column 51; and likewise,the lower bracket 62 includes a rearwardly extending lower arm 67projecting toward the column 51; which arms 66 and 67 are disposed insubstantially horizontal and parallel positions and in verticalspaced-apart relation, with the upper arm 66 positioned in verticalalignment and in superimposed relation with respect to the lower arm 67.Two vertically aligned openings are respectively formed in the outer endportions of the arms 66 and 67; in these openings upper and lower guidebearings 68 and 69, each of the sleeve type, are respectively mountedand secured in place; and in the bearings 68 and 69, an upstandingspindle 70 is journalled for rotation about its own vertical axisdisposed concentric with the upstanding outer helical path of the gearteeth 54 carried by the column 51.

A member or pinion 71 is rigidly affixed to the intermediate portion ofthe spindle 7 0 and arranged between the arms 66 and 67; which member 71has a substantially cylindrical outer surface in which there is formed asubstantially helical groove 72, thus defining thereupon a thread 73including a plurality of turns disposed in an upstanding inner helicalpath concentric with the vertical axis of the spindle 70 and with theupstanding outer helical path of the gear teeth 54 carried by the column51, the turns of the thread 73 being disposed in spacedapart relation inthe vertical direction by the given pitch of the gear teeth 54. Theopposite ends of the member 71 are substantially annular and aredisposed substantially normal to the vertical axis of the spindle 70;and upper and lower thrust bearings 74 and 75, each of theroller-bearing type, are respectively arranged in surrounding relationwith the spindle 70 immediately adjacent to the upper and lower ends ofthe member 71. Thus, the upper bearing 74 is disposed between the upperend of the member 71 and the immediately adjacent lower surface of theupper arm 66 and the lower bearing 75 is disposed between the lower endof the member 71 and the immediately adjacent upper surface of the lowerarm 67. Hence, the portion of the weight of the elevator car 20 that isnot counterbalanced by the previously described counter-balancingarrangement, a minor fraction of the weight of the elevator car 20, istransferred directly from the upper arm 66 of the upper bracket 61through the upper thrust bearing 74 to the upper end of the member 71independently of the spindle 70.

Further, the drive 50 comprises a group of contiguous balls 76 carriedby the member 71 and including a plurality of turns arranged between theturns of the thread 73 and in the helical groove '72; which balls 76 aredisposed in an upstanding intermediate helical path concentric with boththe upstanding outer helical path of the gear teeth 54 and theupstanding inner helical path of the thread turns 73. More specifically,a first subgroup of the group of balls 76 disposed on the left-hand sideof the member or worm 71, as shown in FIG. 5, project radially outwardlyfrom between the thread turns 73 and into engagement with the slots 55disposed between the adjacent ones of the gear teeth 54 carried by thecolumn 51, and a second subgroup of the group of balls 76 disposed onthe right-hand side of the member or worm 71, as shown in FIG. 5,project radially outwardly from between the thread turns 73 and intoengagement with the element 63. The upstanding element 63 issubstantially semi-cylindrical, whereby the interior thereof provides acorresponding cavity 63a facing the adjacent second subgroup of thegroup of balls 76. Thus, the balls 76 are held in place in the helicalgroove 72 by the cooperation of the gear slots 55 in the column 51 withone side of the member 71 and by the cooperation of the semi-cylindricalsurface 63a of the element 63 with the opposite side of the member 71.The first subgroup of the group of balls 76 disposed in the gear slots54 and positioned on the left-hand side of the member 71, as shown inFIG. 5, act between the thread turns 73 and the gear teeth 54 engagedthereby to transfer the support of the member 71 and the portion of theweight of the elevator car 20 that is not counterbalanced to the column51 in any vertical position of the elevator car 20 in the elevator shaft11.

Considering now the general mode of operation of the drive 50, rotationof the spindle 70 in one direction about its vertical axis causescorresponding rotation of the member 71 and the balls 76 carriedthereby, so as to effect relative rotation of the balls 76 in theupstanding intermediate helical path, with the result that the reactionof the balls 76 upon the gear teeth 54 lifts the member 71 in thevertical direction imparting corresponding upward movement to theelevator car 20 in the elevator shaft 11. On the other hand, rotation ofthe spindle 70 in the other or opposite direction about its verticalaxis causes corresponding rotation of the member 71 and the balls 76carried thereby, so as to effect relative rotation of the balls 76 inthe upstanding intermediate helical path, with the result that thereaction of the balls 76 upon the gear teeth 54 lowers the member 71 inthe vertical direction imparting corresponding downward movement to theelevator car 20 in the elevator shaft 11. Incident to rotation of themember 71 in either direction, the individual balls 76 rotate abouttheir own centers, producing a rolling action between the thread turns73 and the gear teeth 54 in order to minimize friction in the drive 50so as to facilitate easy operation of the elevator car 20 in itsmovements in the vertical direction in the elevator shaft 11. Of course,the gear teeth 54, the balls 76 and the thread 73 carry a suitablelubricating grease, so as further to minimize friction in the drive 50.In the drive 50: the column 51 carrying the gear teeth 54 serves as aworm gear having an infinite radius and is thus a rack carryinghelically disposed teeth 54; and the member 71 carrying the helicalarray of balls 76 serves as a pinion c0- operating with the worm gear orrack defined by the column 51 as noted above. Hence, the drive 50 isfundamentally of the worm gear type.

The extreme upper end of the spindle 70 carries a worm gear 80 securelyfastened thereto by an associated key 81; which worm gear 80 is arrangedon the top surface of the arm 66 carried by the upper bracket 61. Asubstantially horizontally disposed shaft 82 is suitably tor.

journalled in bearings carried by the upper bracket 61; which shaft 82has a pinion or worm 83 rigidly aflixed thereto by a key 84 and disposedin meshed relation with the worm gear 80. The extreme inner end of theshaft 82 projects beyond the upper bracket 61 and has a bevel gear 85rigidly afiixed thereto; which bevel gear 85 meshes another bevel gear86 rigidly affixed to a shaft 87 that is journalled in a bearing 88carried by the roof 22 of the elevator car 20, as indicated in FIG. 3;and the extreme outer end of the shaft 87 has rigidly affixed thereto asprocket 89 that is employed for a purpose more fully explained below.Thus, it will be understood that rotation of the shaft 62 in oppositedirections causes corresponding rotations of the spindle 70 through theworm- ,Worm gear drive 83-80; the shaft 62 may be selectively directlyrotated in opposite directions; and the shaft 62 may be selectivelyrotated in opposite directions through the bevel gears 85-86 bycorresponding opposite rotations of the shaft 87 by such rotations ofthe sprocket 89.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the shaft 82 may be selectively rotatedeither by motor facility or by manual facility. More particularly, theextreme outer end of the shaft 82 is connected by a gear box 90 to amotor 91, the gear box 90 being of the speed-reduction type, and themotor 91 preferably comprising an electric drive mo- A manuallyrotatable handwheel 92 is arranged within the compartment 25 of theelevator car 20 and rotatably mounted upon the rear wall 23 thereof;which handwheel 92 carries a sprocket 93 that is aligned in the verticaldirection with the sprocket 89 carried on the outer end of the shaft 87;and which sprockets 89-93 are interconnected by a suitable sprocketchain, indicated at 94 in FIG. 2.

Thus, the shaft 82 may be selectively rotated by selective energizationof the up and down windings,

not shown, of the electric motor 91, in an obvious manner. Likewise, theshaft 82 may be selectively rotated by selective manual rotation of thehandwheel 92, via the elements 93, 94, 89, 87, 86 and 85, in an obviousmanner. While the drive 50 is normally operated by the electric drivemotor 91, the important point is that the same can be operated by thehandwheel 92; which arrangement is very advantageous, since thefundamental utility of the elevator car 20 illustrated is rendered during the construtcion of the building incorporating the structure 10.

As the construction of the building progresses it is only necessaryfundamentally to lengthen the column 51, the 'guideways 15, thecounterbalancing weight guides 16, and the counterbalancing cables 30,in order to render elevator service to the additional upper floors ofthe structure 10. Of course, the mountings for the pulleys 31 of thecounterbalancing arrangement are also elevated from time to time, as theconstruction of the building proceeds,

as it is obvious that the pulleys 31 must be mounted above the top floorthat is served by the elevator car 20. Since,

the column 51, and the elements 15 and 16, are fabricated in sections,the assembly of additional such sections into the elevator shaft 11 isaccomplished in an obvious and ready manner.

In the drive 50: the elements 51, 71 and 76 are formed of suitablesteel; the gear teeth 54 carried by the column 51, and the thread turns73 carried by the member 71 are suitably ground and polished; and theballs 76 preferably comprise hard, polished and preformed highlyaccurate anism of the basic construction and arrangement of the drivemechanism 50, as described above.

In view of the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided anelevator drive of improved and simplified construction and arrangement,and that essentially comprises an elongated upstanding column carried bythe elevator shaft and carrying gear teeth and of rack-like form, amember carried by the elevator car arranged in the elevator shaft andcarrying a thread and of pinionlike form, a group of contiguous ballscarried by the memher and disposed in a helical-like array .andcooperating between the gear teeth and the thread turns, and facilitycarried by the elevator car and operatively connected to the member forselectively rotating the same so as to impart selective upward anddownward movements to the elevator car in the elevator shaft.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

I 1. In an elevator including structure defining an elongated upstandingshaft, a car arranged in said shaft, and means mounting said car uponsaid structure for guided vertical movements along a predetermined pathin said shaft; the combination comprising an elongated upstanding columncarried by said structure adjacent to said shaft and extendingtherealong substantially the entire length of the path of movement ofsaid car, said column having an elongated upstanding substantiallysemi-cylinder recess therein disposed in facing relation with said shaftand extending substantially the length thereof, a plurality of gearteeth carried by said column within said recess and disposed in anelongated upstanding outer helical path and spaced-apart in the verticaldirection by a given pitch, a bracket carried by said car adjacent tosaid column, an upstanding spindle carried by said bracket and mountedthereupon for rotation about its own vertical axis disposed in aposition concentric with said upstanding outer helical path, anupstanding member carried by said spindle and rotatable therewith, saidmember having an upstanding substantially cylindrical outer surfaceconcentric with the vertical axis of said spindle and projectingradially outwardly therefrom into said recess, a thread carried by saidmember on said outer surface and including a plurality of turns disposedin an upstanding inner helical path concentric with said upstandingouter helical path and spaced-apart in the vertical direction by saidgiven pitch, an upstanding element carried by said bracket andpositioned on the side of said member opposite to that of said column,said element having an upstanding substantially semi-cylindrical cavitytherein disposed in facing rela tion with said thread, said bracketcarrying said spindle and said member and said element being movable inthe vertical direction with said car in said shaft and relative to saidcolumn, a group of contiguous balls carried by said member and includinga plurality of turns arranged between said thread turns and disposed inan upstanding intermediate helical path concentric with both saidupstanding outer helical path and said upstanding inner helical pathandspaced-apart in the vertical direction by said given pitch, a firstsubgroup of said balls disposed on one side of said member projectingradially outwardly from between said thread turns and into engagementwith the slots between the adjacent ones of said gear teeth and a secondsubgroup of said balls disposed on the opposite side of said memberprojecting radially outwardly from between said thread turns and intoengagement with said element within said cavity, whereby the balls insaid group are held in position between said thread turns for rotationwith said member and for individual rotation thereof between said threadturns, said first subgroup of balls acting between said thread turns andthe adjacent engaged ones of said gear teeth effecting at least apartial support of said car by said column in any vertical position ofsaid car in said shaft, whereby rotation of said spindle in onedirection effects upward movement of said car in said shaft and rotationof said spindle in the opposite direction effects downward movement ofsaid car in said shaft, and drive means carried by said car forselectively rotating said spindle in either direction.

2. The elevator combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said drivemeans essentially comprises a motor mounted upon said car and providedwith a reversible drive part that may be selectively rotated in oppositedirections, and an operative connection between said drive part and saidspindle.

3. The elevator combination set forth in claim ll, wherein said drivemeans essentially comprises a handwheel mounted within said car formanual rotation in opposite directions, and an operative connectionbetween said handwheel and said spindle.

4. The elevator combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said drivemeans essentially comprises an electric drive motor mounted upon saidcar exteriorly of the compartment therein and provided with a reversiblerotor, a first drive connection between said rotor and said spindle, ahandwheel mounted upon said car interiorly of the compartment thereinand rotatable in opposite directions, and a second drive connectionbetween said handwheel and said spindle.

5. The elevator combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said columncomprises a plurality of substantially identical sections arranged in anupstanding aligned row and independently rigidly secured to saidstructure.

6. In an elevator including structure defining an elongated upstandingshaft, a car arranged in said shaft, means mounting said car upon saidstructure for guided vertical movements along a predetermined path insaid shaft, and mechanism acting between said structure and said car tocounterbalance a major fraction of the weight of said car; thecombination comprising an elongated upstanding column carried by saidstructure adjacent to said shaft and extending therealong substantiallythe entire length of the path of movement of said car, said columnhaving an elongated upstanding substantially semi-cylindrical recesstherein disposed in facing relation with said shaft and extendingsubstantially the length thereof, a plurality of gear teeth carried bysaid column Within said recess and disposed in an elongated upstandingouter helical path and spaced-apart in the vertical direction by a givenpitch, a bracket carried by said car adjacent to said column, anupstanding spindle carried by said bracket and mounted thereupon forrotation about its own vertical axis disposed in a position concentricwith said upstanding outer helical path, an upstanding member carried bysaid spindle and rotatable therewith, said member having an upstandingsubstantially cylindrical outer surface concentric with the verticalaxis of said spindle and projecting radially outwardly therefrom intosaid recess, a thread carried by said member on said outer surface andincluding a plurality of turns disposed in an upstanding vinner helicalpath concentric with said upstanding outer helical path and spaced-apartin the vertical direction by said given pitch, an upstanding elementcarried by said bracket and positioned on the side of said memberopposite to that of said column, said element having an upstandingsubstantially semi-cylindrical cavity therein disposed in facingrelation with said thread, said bracket carrying said spindle and saidmember and said element being movable in the vertical direction withsaid car in said shaft and relative to said column, a group ofcontiguous balls caried by said member and including a plurality ofturns arranged between said thread turns and disposed in an upstandingintermediate helical path concentric with both said upstanding outerhelical path and said upstanding inner helical path and spaced-apart inthe vertical direction by said given pitch, a first subgroup of saidballs disposed on one side of said member projecting radially outwardlyfrom between said thread turns and into engagement with the slotsbetween the adjacent ones of said gear teeth and a second subgroup ofsaid balls disposed on the opposite side of said member projectingradially outwardly from between said thread turns and into engagementwith said element within said cavity, whereby the balls in said groupare held in position between said thread turns for rotation with saidmember and for individual rotation thereof between said thread turns,said first subgroup of balls acting between said thread turns and theadjacnet engaged ones of said gear teeth effecting the support of aminor fraction of the weight of said car by said column in any verticalposition of said car in said shaft, whereby rotation of said spindle inone direction effects upward movement of said car in said shaft androtation of said spindle in the opposite direction effects downwardmovement of said car in said shaft, and drive means carried by said carfor selectively rotating said spindle in either direction.

7. In an elevator including structure defining an elongated upstandingshaft, a car arranged in said shaft, and means mounting said car uponsaid structure for guided vertical movements along a predetermined pathin said shaft; the combination comprising an elongated upstanding columncarried by said structure adjacent to said shaft and extendingtherealong substantially the entire length of the path of movement ofsaid car, said column having an elongated upstanding substantiallysemi-cylindrical recess therein disposed in facing relation with saidshaft and extending substantially the length thereof, a plurality ofgear teeth carried by said column within said recess and disposed in anelongated upstanding outer helical path and spaced-apart in the verticaldirection by a given pitch, a bracket carried by said car adjacent tosaid column, an upstanding spindle carried by said bracket and mountedthereupon for rotation about its own vertical axis disposed in aposition concentric with said upstanding outer helical path, anupstanding member carried by said spindle and rotatable therewith, saidmember having an upstanding substantially cylindrical outer surfaceconcentric with the vertical axis of said spindle and projectingradially outwardly therefrom into said recess, a thread carried by saidmember on said outer surface and including a plurality of turns disposedin an upstanding inner helical path concentric with said upstandingouter helical path and spaced-apart in the vertical direction by saidgiven pitch and terminating adjacent to the upper and lower ends of saidmember, an upstanding element carried by said bracket and positioned onthe side of said member opposite to that of said column, said elementhaving an upstanding substantially semi-cylindrical cavity thereindisposed in facing relation with said thread, said bracket carrying saidspindle and said member and said element being movable in the verticaldirection with said car in said shaft and relative to said column, agroup of contiguous balls carried by said member and including aplurality of turns arranged between said thread turns and disposed in anupstanding intermediate helical path concentric with both saidupstanding outer helical path and said upstanding inner helical path andspaced-apart in the vertical direction by said given pitch, said ballsbeing trapped between said thread turns and held therein by said elementand the associated ones of said gear teeth, a first subgroup of saidballs disposed on one side of said member projecting radially outwardlyfrom between said thread turns and into engagement with the slotsbetween the adjacent ones of said gear teeth and a second subgroup ofsaid balls disposed on the opposite side of said member projectingradially outwardly from between said thread turns and into engagementwith said element within said cavity, whereby the balls in said groupare held in position between said thread turns for rotation with saidmember and for individual rotation thereof between said thread turns,said first subgroup of balls acting between said thread turns and theadjacent engaged ones of said gear teeth effecting at least a partialsupport of said car by said column in any vertical position of said carin said shaft, whereby rotation of said spindle in one direction effectsupward movement of said car in said shaft and rotation of said spindlein the opposite direction effects downward movement of said car in saidshaft, anti-friction bearing structure carried by said bracket and-arranged between said member and said bracket for transmitting at leastthe partial support of said car to said column independently of saidspindle, and drive means carried by said car for selectively rotatingsaid spindle in either direction.

8. In an elevator including structure defining an elongated upstandingshaft, a car arranged in said shaft and means mounting said car uponsaid structure for guided vertical movements along a predetermined pathin said shaft; the combination comprising an elongated upstanding columncarried by said structure adjacent to said shaft and extendingtherealong substantially the entire length of the path of movementof'said c-ar, said column having an elongated upstanding substantiallysemicylindrical recess therein disposed in facing relation with saidshaft and extending substantially the length thereof, a plurality ofgear teeth carried by said column within said recess and disposed in anelongated upstanding outer helical path and spaced-apart in the verticaldirection by a given pitch, abracket carried by said car adjacent tosaid column, an upstanding spindle carried by said bracket, upper andlower guide bearings carried by said bracket and respectivelysurrounding the upper and lower ends of said spindle and mounting saidspindle for rotation about its own vertical axis disposed in a positionconcentric with said upstanding outer helical path, an upstanding membercarried by said spindle intermediate the upper and lower ends thereofand rotatable therewith, said member having an upstanding substantiallycylindrical outer surface concentric with the vertical axis of saidspindle and projecting radially outwardly therefrom into said recess,said member also including upper and lower annular ends respectivelydisposed below and above said upper and lower guide bearings, upper andlower thrust bearings respectively arranged between said bracket and thecorresponding upper and lower ends of said member, whereby said upperthrust bearing is disposed below said upper guide bearing and insurrounding relation with the adjacent portion of said spindle disposedimmediately above the upper end of said member and said lower thrustbearing is disposed above said lower guide bearing and in surroundingrelation with the adjacent portion of said spindle disposed immediatelybelow the lower end of said member, a thread carried by said member onsaid outer surface and including a plurality of turns disposed in anupstanding inner helical path concentric with said upstanding outerhelical path and spaced-apart in the vertical direction by said givenpitch, an upstanding element carried by said bracket and positioned onthe side of said member opposite to that of said column, said elementhaving an upstanding substantially semicylindrical cavity thereindisposed in facing relation with said thread, said bracket carrying saidspindle and said member and said element being movable in the verticaldirection with said car in said shaft and relative to said column, agroup of contiguous balls carried by said member and including aplurality of turns arranged between said thread turns and disposed in anupstanding intermediate helical path concentric with both saidupstanding outer helical path and said upstanding inner helical path andspaced-apart in the vertical direction by said given pitch, a firstsubgroup of said balls disposed on one side of said member projectingradially outwardly from between said thread turns and into engagementwith the slots between the adjacent ones of said gear teeth and a secondsubgroup of said balls disposed on the opposite side of said memberprojecting radially outwar-dly from between said thread turns and intoengagement with said element within said cavity, whereby the balls insaid group are held in position between said thread turns for rotationwith said member and for individual rotation thereof between said threadturns, said first subgroup of balls acting between said thread turns andthe adjacent engaged ones of said gear teeth effecting at least apartial support of said car by said column in any vertical position ofsaid car in said shaft, whereby rotation of said spindle in onedirection effects upward movement of said car in said shaft and rotationof said spindle in the opposite direction effects downward movement ofsaid car in said shaft, and drive means carried by said car forselectively rotating said spindle in either direction.

9. The elevator combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said upper andlower guide bearings are of the sleeve bearing type, and said upper andlower thrust bearings are of the roller bearing type.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 790,137 5/05Karrer 18725 966,231 8/10 Newson 187-25 2,227,111 12/40 Sturm 254-98SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN ELEVATOR INCLUDING STRUCTURE DEFINING AN ELONGATED UPSTANDINGSHAFT, A CAR ARRANGED IN SAID SHAFT, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID CAR UPONSAID STRUCTURE FOR GUIDED VERTICAL MOVEMENTS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATHIN SAID SHAFT; THE COMBINATION COMPRISING AN ELONGATED UPSTANDING COLUMNCARRIED BY SAID STRUCTURE FOR GUIDED AND EXTENDING THEREALONGSUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CAR,SAID COLUMN HAVING A ELONGATED UPSTANDING SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CYLINDERRECESS THEREIN DISPOSED IN FACING RELATION WITH SAID SHAFT AND EXTENDINGSUBTANTIALLY THE LENGTH THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF GEAR TEETH CARRIED BYSAID COLUMN WITHIN SAID RECESS AND DISPOSED IN AN ELONGATED UPSTANDINGOUTER HELICAL PATH AND SPACED-APART IN THE VERTICCAL DIRECTION BY AGIVEN PITCH, A BRACKET CARRIED BY SAID CAR ADJACENT TO SAID COLUMN, ANUPSTANDING SPINDLE CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET AND MOUNTED THEREUPON FORROTATION ABOUT ITS OWN VERTICAL AXIS DISPOSED IN A POSITION CONCENTRICWITH SAID UPSTANDING OUTER HELICAL PATH, AN UPSTANDING MEMBER CARRIED BYSAID SPINDLE AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH, SAID MEMBER CARRIED BY SAIDSPINDLE ING SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OUTER SURFACE CONCENTRIC WITH THEVERTICAL AXIS OF SAID SPINDLE AND PROJECTING RADIALLY OUTWARDLYTHEREFROM INTO SAID RECESS, A THREAD CARRIED BY SAID MEMBER ON SAIDOUTER SURFACE AND INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF TURNS DISPOSED IN ANUPSTANDING INNER HELICAL PATH CONCENTRIC WITH SAID UPSTANDING INNERHELICAL PATH SPACED-APART IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTION BY SAID GIVEN PITCH,AN UPSTANDING ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET AND POSITIONED ON THE SIDEOF SAID MEMBER OPPOSITE TO THAT OF SAID COLUMN, SAID ELEMENT HAVING ANUPSTANDING SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CYLINDRICAL CAVITY THEREIN DISPOSED INFACING RELATION WITH SAID THREAD, SAID BRACKET CARRYING SAID SPINDLE ANDSAID MEMBER AND SAID ELEMENT BEING MOVABLE IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTIONWITH SAID CAR IN SAID SHAFT AND RELATIVE TO SAID COLUMN, A GROUP OFCONTIGUOUS BALLS CARRIED